Active Living news and information for February 2015

February 2015

Dear Friend,

Help to spread the word and share this bulletin with others, use this link to print and then display this newsletter on your community notice board, send to your databases or post on your group’s website.

Promote your Over 50s group, event or activity free of charge in the next issue, email your information to Kim Vasa. Happy reading!

Help and advice

Winter health advice for older people

As the weather gets colder and the nights longer, GPs in Havering have published a handy new guide with their top tips for older people to stay healthy over the winter.

The main messages to older residents from GPs are to keep warm, eat well and get a free flu jab from your local practice or pharmacy.

Details of different NHS services if you do fall ill are included along with advice to prevent falls and what to do if you do fall.

The Care Act aims to join up the social care services offered by local authorities and healthcare services run by the NHS and provide preventative services to keep people healthy.

Dementia Friends

Monday 23 February, 9am - 10am at Romford Library, St Edwards Way, Romford, RM1 3AR.

Join a nationwide initiative to become a dementia friend by attending sessions run by the Havering Alzheimer’s Society. Learn more about dementia and how you can help create dementia friendly communities.

Booking is essential, call 01708 434389. Free for adults.

Free Dementia Advice

Thursday 5 February, 11.30am - 12.30pm at Harold Wood Library, Arundel Road, Harold Wood, RM3 0RX
Thursday 12 February, 11.15am - 12.15pm at Harold Hill Library, Hilldene Avenue, Harold Hill, RM3 8DJ

Free help to cope with winter

Does anyone you know:

Live in a cold home and have difficulty paying energy bills?
Have a boiler that is not working or is very old and needs replacing?
Feel isolated and alone during winter, and could use some help during bad winter weather spells?

Havering Council and community partners are providing services to help residents during winter including:

A Cold Weather Befriender programme to support vulnerable residents during winter
A ‘Winter Readiness Check’ home service visit to help residents in fuel poverty to get assistance with energy efficiency
Grants for new boilers and insulation for eligible residents
Helping residents to find cheaper energy tariffs
Warm Packs to vulnerable older residents who are cold in their homes
Cold Alarms for residents at risk of low temperatures in their homes
Winter directories and thermometer cards for information

For more information email Catherine Culley.

Walk-in for debt help

When financial trouble hits, it’s easy to feel alone.

Christians Against Poverty (CAP), which has two centres in Havering, is already helping hundreds of people who call up every week, through their free of charge Debt Help service.

It has now launched a walk-in debt advice clinic on the last Friday of each month between 12pm and 2pm at the Salvation Army, High Street, Romford, RM1 1JJ.

Please let members of your group know about this service.

CAP visits people in their own homes, negotiates with creditors and supports residents right up until they are debt free. It is available to anyone regardless of age, faith, gender or background.

More information available here or call 0800 328 000.

Faith Action Audit

Havering is one of 50 church networks in the country chosen for a Faith Action Audit, which is due to take place by the end of February, to identify projects carried out by faith groups across the borough.

Faith based projects whether informal or formal, led by paid staff or volunteers are eligible to complete an online survey.

With the information from the audit we will be able to:

see exactly what faith groups offer the community
faith groups will gain confidence and perhaps new ideas
have an accurate picture of collaborative work
identify trends and gaps in provision

Deadline for registering to participate in the survey is Sunday 25 January,

For further information email Gary Seithel or call 07962 146101

Free swimming, badminton and squash extended

Havering Council is continuing to offer residents over the age of 50, the chance to swim, play badminton or squash for free at off peak times at Central Park Leisure Centre, Chafford Sports Complex and Hornchurch Sports Centre, until July 2015.

Residents will need to become an Everyone Active member to enter the leisure centres.

More information available here.

Will you open for youth faith engagement day?

Havering Police is organising a day of youth faith engagement for police cadets and is asking for places of worship to open their doors to give a tour and brief talk by faith leaders on Friday 20 February between 9am and 5pm.

If your faith organisation is able to participate please email PCSO Kaser Aleem, Brooklands Safer Neighbourhoods Team or call 0208 721 2074

Forthcoming events for your members

Whist Club

If you enjoy playing whist, then come along to Cranham Community Association, Marlborough Gardens, Cranham, RM14 1SR every Wednesday and Friday from 7.30pm - 9.30pm

Tuition is available for anyone wishing to learn the game.

Email Linda Evans for more details.

Music for a Winter's Night

Divertimenti Ensemble will be performing on Thursday 19 February, from 8pm at Langtons House, Billet Lane, Hornchurch, RM11 1AX. For more information email Fairkytes.

Beer tasting evening

Havering Museum, which is in part of the former Romford Brewery building, is holding a beer tasting evening with Brentwood Brewing Company on Monday 16 February, 7pm at the Golden Lion pub, 2 High Street, Romford, RM1 1HR (upstairs - no lift).

£15 per person. Booking essential by email or call 01708 766571.

Havering Branch of the East London Family History Society

The next meeting is on Tuesday 3 February at Trinity Church, Station Road, Upminster, RM14 2SJ.

A computer group meets from 11am to 1pm to advise of the best websites to use to help with your family history search. There is then a family history talk from 2pm to 3.30pm.

For more information email Audrey Neal or call 07847 289574.

Collier Row Library events

Collier Row Library, Collier Row Road, Romford, RM5 3NR.

For more details ring 01708 434936.

Nightly Knitters

Free every Wednesday 6pm - 8pm.

Spice up your Cooking

Monday 16 February at 7pm. Admission: adults £5 members, £6.50 non-members. Live Cookery Demo Workshop with Chef Khan from Delhi Spice Catering Company.

Young at Heart

Wednesday 25 February, 2pm - 3.30pm at Elm Park Library, St Nicholas Avenue, Elm Park, RM12 4PT.

An informative talk about the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Families Association. Admission £1 including refreshments.

Tea Dances

Every Thursday 1.30pm - 3.30pm at New Windmill Hall, St Mary’s Lane, Upminster, RM14 2QH. £3 per session including refreshments.

Booking in advance is required by email or call 01708 431742.

Inter-Faith Discussion Evening

On Thursday 5 February from 8pm an Inter-Faith Discussion Evening on the topic of Health and Healing, with speakers from different faiths, will take place at the Salvation Army, High Street, Romford, RM1 1JJ.

More information available here.

The Essex Gem and Mineral Show

Saturday 21 February, 10am - 4pm, North Romford Community Centre, Clockhouse Lane, Collier Row, RM5 3QJ

For more information email here.

Havering Friends of the Earth talk

Thursday 26 February 3pm - 4pm at South Hornchurch Library, Rainham Road, Rainham, RM13 7RD.

A talk on the importance of bees for the environment and how they need our help. £3 members, £4.50 non-members.

Men’s walking football

Mondays 12noon, YMCA, Rush Green Road, Romford RM7 0PH

Thursdays 7pm, Sanders School, Suttons Lane, Hornchurch, RM12 6RT.

Walking Football is a slower paced version of the beautiful game, aimed at men who are keen to keep an active lifestyle despite their age or ability. £3 per session. Booking is required:

Please email Stuart Robinson or call 01708 796611.

Tapestry day trip

Wednesday 18 February at 1pm. See Jersey Boys The Musical at the Westcliff Pavilion Theatre, Station Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS0 7RA. Book your tickets by email or call 01708 479686.

Trips pick up at The Queen’s Theatre, Billet Lane, Hornchurch, RM11 1QT. To book call Tapestry (formerly Age Concern Havering) on 01708 479686.

Pub Lunch Clubs

Tapestry organises four pub lunch clubs, all between 12noon and 2pm, for people aged over 55 on:

First Tuesday of the month at The Bull, 74-76 Market Place, Romford, RM1 3ER. To book your place call 01708 760952.

Second Wednesday of the month at The Albion, Rainham Road, Rainham, RM13 8SS. To book your place call 01708 552445

Third Tuesday of the month at The Village Bar and Grill, 72 Station Lane, Hornchurch, RM12 6NA. To book your place please call 01708 796609

Last Thursday of the month at The Windmill, Upminster Road, Upminster, RM14 2RB. To book your place please call 01708 442657.

1940s Nostalgia Afternoon

Sunday 22 February, 2.30pm - 4.30pm at Thames Chase Forest Centre, Broadfields, Pike Lane, Upminster,RM14 3NS.

The Chase Players present an afternoon of 1940s music and comedy.

Sleep easy

Friday 27 February, 7pm until Saturday 28 February, 6am at Romford YMCA, Rush Green Road, Romford, RM7 0PH.

Join us for a night of sleeping under the stars and help raise funds to fight homelessness in the local community.

More information here or call 01708 766211.

Zumba Gold

Every Tuesday 10am - 11am at St Helen’s Church Hall, The Broadway, Rainham, London, RM13 9YN. £3 per session.

Booking in advance is required by email or call 01708 431742

Check out the full guide to adult physical activities.

One pot cooking

Learn how to cook a low cost nutritious meal from scratch all in One Pot.

Then stay and eat the food you have prepared and cooked.

Monday 2 February, 10am – 12noon at Silverlinx, Romford Salvation Army, High St, Romford, RM1 1JJ.
Thursday 26 March, 1pm – 3pm at Senior Citizens Group, YMCA Rush Green Road, Romford, Essex RM7 0PH

If your group is interested in hosting a One Pot Cooking event please let us know.

Please email Kim Crisp or call 01708 629903 to book your free place.

Magical Matinee – Five Star Swing

Saturday 7 February, 2.30pm at The Queens Theatre, Billet Lane, Hornchurch RM11 1QT.

Swing-along with songs from Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, jazz and blues with this unique show. Tickets £12.50.

Book tickets here or call 01708 443333.

Information for your members

£3,000 to boost your broadband

Third sector groups in Havering could be eligible for a £3,000 voucher to help improve their broadband connections.

If you are a registered charity, a social enterprise, a voluntary or community organisation you may be eligible for a Connection Voucher that will help towards the cost of upgrading your broadband.

Help and advice on how to apply is available from Sunisha Masih.

Apply for your voucher here.

Community In Action portal

Boost your chances of getting your community, faith or voluntary organisations known locally by signing up to the Havering Community in Action Portal.

This online database currently holds information on more than 450 voluntary groups, clubs and associations across Havering. It lists where groups are based, what activities or services are offered and contact details.

It is also a guide to help and assist individuals with how to start a group, provides advice on running an organisation or finding one that already exists.

The portal has been created by the Havering Association of Voluntary and Community Organisations (HAVCO) and Havering Council, which are keen for community groups to sign up. The website is a free resource, don’t delay sign up today.

For more information, or to add your community or voluntary group to the database free of charge, please email Michael Dunlop or call 01708 742881 or email Kim Vasa or call 01708 432268.

Dementia Friendly Borough Status Award

Havering has been awarded Dementia Friendly Borough Status, the second London borough to receive it.

The award by the Alzheimer’s Society recognises the steps the Council and Havering Clinical Commissioning Group, working with the Alzheimer’s Society, is taking to make life a little easier for people who have dementia.

Looking for something to do?

To find out what’s happening across Havering check out the events page on Havering Council’s website.

If you are a locally-based club, society, school or community group, you can use the online form to submit details of your event for possible inclusion on this page.

Pictured: Havering Museum’s new exhibition on the history of Romford Market runs from Saturday 10 January to Saturday 28 March 2015. A series of talks will support this exhibition.

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